Wsk Pzl Warzawa-Okecie PZL-104 WILGA 80 accident near Kaunakakai, Hawaii, November 30, 2000
On November 30, 2000 at about 2:30 am local time, a Wsk Pzl Warzawa-Okecie PZL-104 WILGA 80, registered N112B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Kaunakakai, Hawaii. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper assessment of in-flight weather conditions, his inadequate compensation for winds, and his failure to maintain sufficient altitude and clearance on the lee side of mountainous terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 30, 2000 · about 2:30 am local time
- Place
- Kaunakakai, Hawaii · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Wsk Pzl Warzawa-Okecie PZL-104 WILGA 80 PZL-104 WI
- Registration
- N112B · registry record · serial CF-20890881
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane lost airspeed and altitude while sightseeing in a valley and made an emergency landing on a hillside in mountainous terrain. While looking at the valley below the airplane was caught in a severe downdraft from which the pilot was unable to recover. There were no discrepancies noted with the airframe or power plant by the pilot. He did note that when he added power there was not enough power available to compensate for the downdraft. The pilot stated that his preflight weather briefing indicated clear skies with visual flight rules recommended. He also stated that the airplane was caught in a downdraft on the lee side of mountainous terrain.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,631 hours in all; 79 in this make and model; 107 in the last 90 days; 28 in the last 30 days; 1,503 as pilot in command; 1,286 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 260 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, March 7, 2000; 65 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,866 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pzl-Kalisz AI-14RA (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HNL Honolulu HI at 1:35 am
- Destination: OGG Kahului HI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,700 ft
- Temperature: 167°F (75°C), dew point 147°F (64°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:19 am from MKK, 8 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.